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Do you consider the weather?

My backpacking and hammock gear has been stored for several months now...I need to get out into the woods!

I took this Friday off to head north for the weekend since I originally planned on doing the NCT/MRT loop in Michigan. The weather will be fair (low 40s, showers possible)

But just for fun I checked down south and the weather in the Deam wilderness will be amazing (mid 60s and sunny, only 50 at night!)

I always prefer to head north any time of the year so I'll probably do that, but the nice spring weather is tempting me. But then again, I don't feel like walking thru 4" of horse poop and muddy trails the entire time in the Deam.

Do you ever find yourself choosing locations based on the weather? It's not about canceling or complaining about weather, but rather just trying to decide between two nice locations with about the same travel time.

Usually for me my trips are scheduled ahead of time with the destination already planned so I go rain or shine, my only reason for looking at the weather report is so I know what to pack.

If I had the opportunity to go somewhere where it was nicer, then yea I would probably do that. I prefer the milder temps, where it's high 50's low 60's during the day and high 30's low 40's at night. But thats just me, so take it for what it's worth.

"yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift---thats why its called a present" - Master Oogway
It's always best if your an early riser!

Usually for me my trips are scheduled ahead of time with the destination already planned so I go rain or shine, my only reason for looking at the weather report is so I know what to pack.

If I had the opportunity to go somewhere where it was nicer, then yea I would probably do that. I prefer the milder temps, where it's high 50's low 60's during the day and high 30's low 40's at night. But thats just me, so take it for what it's worth.

That makes sense. I try to make plans and stick with them...it usually works out.

I'm with Cranky Bear; consider the weather just to know what to pack. Although, I have been known to end up somewhere other than my intended destination; let's call it mid-trip-planning-adjustment, that sounds better than lack of impulse control!

Tough call. I mean if I had already set myself up for one location and told everyone that I was going there, I would be more reluctant to switch locations last minute even if one location is nicer. But if gear wasn't packed yet and I had time to pack accordingly for either location and didn't plan to meet anybody at either location, then I would probably switch.

Oh heck yeah. I use the NOAA graphical forecasts and only plan anything overnight tentatively until a day or two out, when the predictions become more accurate. At that point we make the final choice on location.

Washington state gets hit with systems rolling in off the Pacific and/or north from BC, and once you add in mountains, rain shadow effects, convergence zones, etc. it's normal to be looking at a state-wide 'weather kaleidoscope'. IMO it's foolish to get so set on a particular alpine location near the crest that you wind up there in some horrid storm when by moving just 50 miles east you can have considerably milder conditions (or the reverse for heat & wind).

And of course there's always the 'fun' of getting stuck someplace in a major lightning storm that sets the place on fire. We missed one such event by ~12 hours last summer.